A woman arrived on the battlefield, grabbing Saphira, who was unsteady on her feet. She was wearing a cloak, her face hidden, with only her ashen grey hair peeking out.
Shit, why is she here now?! I thought as she carried the half-conscious Saphira in her arms.
"My apologies, but I can't let her die here." She said quietly, but her voice carried over perfectly.
"And do you think we would let you take her?!" Said Kaguya was ready to leap at her at any moment's notice. But before she could attack her..
"Yeah, sure you can take her," my voice rang out, surprising everyone present.
"Arin! Have you gone mad?! We can't just let her get away like that." Said Kaguya, but I ignored her. I have no interest in picking a fight with Alfia, especially when all of us are so exhausted.
"No, I am with Arin on this; you can take her." Surprisingly, or rather not so surprisingly, it was Riveria who supported my decision.
"Yeah, I also do not mind." The next one to speak was Alise.
"Alise, not you too!" Kaguya could only howl at us.
"Kaguya, believe me, I am as reluctant as you are to let her go, but I do not think we can win against the arrival. Even my beautiful, perfect self is too exhausted."
"But can you promise us that she won't go berserk again?" I asked her, I wanted at least a confirmation on this, whether we will fight or not depends on that answer.
"Yes, I will make sure that she does not do anything like this," Alfia said, looking at Saphira, who is bleeding from all over, and her hands have turned pure black.
"Then you are free to go," I told her.
"You have my thanks." Said Alfia, carrying Saphira as she turned her back on us and disappeared in the smoke.
But I wonder what Alfia and Saphira's relationship is for her to come here and protect her?
"Was that really okay?" Ardee voiced for everyone who was dissatisfied with the decision.
"Yes, mainly because despite her strength, Saphira has not killed anyone yet, so she can be overlooked." It was a voice that should not be here that spoke.
"Lady Astarea!!" Ryuu and others called out to their beloved goddess, who appeared on the ruined battlefield, alongside Hermes.
"Oh my, that was a spectacular fight, A fight that will surely go down in history." Said Hermes, with his hands on his hat. They were accompanied by Lydia.
And Erebus was with them as well.
____________________________________________________________________________
"Why are you here, Alfia?" Saphira asked as Alfia poured potion after potion on her.
"Like I told you before, I owe you too much to let you die like that," said Alfia, remembering the favour Saphira had done for her.
"Stupid, I told you, I only put Matteria in the Ice cage because she was my friend, and not because of you!" Saphira did not want any pity from her rival; being seen in this pathetic state was enough of a humiliation for her.
"Your reason for helping her does not matter. Besides, I should be asking you," Said Alfia, as her heterochromatic eyes met Saphira's black ones. "Why are you here? Did you not say that the plan was a stupid one? Then why take part in it?"
Saphira was silent for a long moment, but when she saw that Alfia was not going to back down, she could do nothing but answer her.
"Because I wanted to show you that those adventurers are not weak enough that they would need sacrifices to grow strong." Saphira paused to take a breath.
"Saphira…"
"Besides that face of regret that you made when you refused Erebus' plan was making me sick to my stomach. You think too highly of yourself, Silence, if you thought that simply by your sacrifice, a legendary hero can be born."
"Saphira I— AHHHHHHH!!" Alfia's words were cut off by the gut-wrenching scream of Agony that Saphira let out, blood oozing out of her eyes, ears, and nose.
"Saphira!! Cursed that dragon!!" cried Alfia as she hurried to pour more potion on Saphira's skin, that were turning black, Soul crouption, the power of the one-eyed black dragon, that plagued Saphira.
"Haa…haa…haa…." as more and more potion was poured on her skin that had now turned black due to the influence of corruption, Saphira found some small respite in that warm feeling spreading over her body. But her soul still cried.
"Why did you use so much strength, Saphira? You do know that the backlash of soul corruption is going to be severe, right?" Alfia could only watch the woman who was her sole Rival in this battered state and do nothing.
"Maybe because I wanted to die?" Saphira said, her mind and heart were in constant conflict with each other. On one side, she wanted to live and help Alfia find a cure for Matteria and Alfia herself. But on the other hand, she wished to die to free herself from this hellish pain that assaulted her.
Saphira was tough enough to ignore the bodily pain, but the pain that her soul had to go through was too much for a mortal existence.
"Don't even think about dying. If you do, I'll never hear the end of it from Matteria when she wakes up."
"Hehehe, You are right, I can't miss Matteria waking up now, can I?" Saphira could only resolve herself to bear with the pain for a few more years until they find a cure; at least they have some hope of being cured, unlike herself, who is living on a time clock.
"Can you stand, Saphira, or do you want me to carry you?" asked Alfia, as she wanted them to go back and avoid the risk of being followed.
"I am not so weak that I would need a crouch, Silence," she said, and with some difficulty stood back on her feet; the pain had faded enough for her to function normally. But still, Alfia put Saphira's hand over her shoulder to support her, ignoring Saphira's protest.
And they started walking towards the village in the distance, where a child, a god, and a woman frozen in ice and time awaited their return.
___________________________________________________________________________
"…That's it, then," Erebus said, looking at us. There was no smile on his lips, but no anger or sadness, either. It was as if he simply accepted the way things were. Like he had reached the end of a truly moving play and was still basking in the afterglow.
At that moment, Astraea spoke. "Yes, Erebus. This is the end."
The dark god turned to see Astrea, clad in her pure-white robes. "Good has triumphed, and evil has fallen," she said.
"Excellent work," he said, grinning. "I played the part of evil to the best of my ability, but in the end, your justice and persistence won the day."
There were no more tricks up his sleeve. No more means to alter the board. Yet even now, the cornered god hardly seemed to care about his predicament.
"I'll admit it," he said. "You win. Nobody likes a sore loser."
Contrary to his words, it didn't feel like Erebus recognized his loss at all. He stood calmly, one hand on his waist, under the scornful gazes of Lyra and Kaguya.
"You're talkin' real tough for someone who's about to be mincemeat," said the former.
"I do hope you're not expecting us to just forget about all this and let you go after everything you've done?" added the latter.
"Oh, good heavens, no. But what kind of evil would I be if I pleaded for mercy now?"
The girls seemed about to lose it, but Erebus only smiled back.
"Go ahead," he said. "Hate me. For what greater joy is there for evil than to be reviled and hated?"
""Grh…!""
Lyra and Kaguya scowled with fury, and some of the other girls stepped forward, but Gareth and Riveria bade them stay.
"We are but mortals," said Riveria. "It is not for us to judge your actions… We'll leave that to your fellow gods."
"Your evil deeds end here, menace," added the dwarf. "Have you any last words?"
Erebus looked blank for a moment, then answered. "I do have a request, if you'd be so kind."
"What is it?" snorted Gareth.
"I wish for you to send me back, Astrea. It is only right that evil should meet its end at the hands of justice."
Astrea stared back at him but said nothing.
"And as for where it should be done," Erebus went on. "I'm thinking somewhere high up, surrounded by the endless sky. Somewhere quiet, where the two of us can be alone, without these meddling mortals around to disturb us."
Astrea's followers were not amused by the brazen demands of their captured prey.
"Y-you're joking!" Lyra exclaimed.
"Are we sure we don't want to take a swing at him?" said Kaguya, balling her fist.
"Wow! I'm amazed!" said Alise. "I knew he was arrogant, but this is ridiculous! This is beyond evil at this point; gods are a different breed!"
"Please stay quiet," Ryuu cautioned. "You're not making it any better."
"Oh, and one more thing," said Erebus.
"What now?" tutted Riveria with spite. Erebus turned and looked at a distance. "Let my lovely follower go," he said. "You don't have to help him; just leave him."
"!"
"Maybe the monsters will get him, maybe not. Either way, you'll have done your part. So, just let him go."
The girls were aghast.
But I was confused. Because far away on the ground, Vito looked up at his dark master.
"…E-Erebus…?"
This fuc*ker is still alive?
Cut to ribbons by Kaguya and left to die, there was no way he was escaping the dungeon without a miracle. Erebus stared at him, then turned to face Astrea once more.
"He's only one guy," the dark god insisted. "What's the worst that could happen? Then again, if you're burning for revenge, I understand."
"…Fine. We shall grant your request," said Astrea.
"Oh, how benevolent. I knew you'd see it my way." With that, Erebus walked off past Astrea.
"Let's be off then," he said. "Evil to the very end."
To be honest, I do not want to leave any loose ends, but Astraea has already given her word; maybe I will find him later and kill him then.
"Godsdammit!" she swore. "That guy pisses me off!"
"I don't think I'll ever find it in myself to forgive him, no matter what Lady Astrea says," agreed Kaguya.
"Every time I look at him, I think of all those he's taken from us." The other girls clenched their fists or stared at the ground, silently echoing her words.
"Perhaps this is what it means," said Ryuu, "to fight evil instead of joining it."
"...…"
Only Alize stood silent as the god left, as if searching for a truth that as yet eluded the others. Astrea, too, said nothing and only cast her eyes downward.
As all of us made our way to the surface, instead of following the others, I followed Astraea, Hermes, and Erebus.